Surgical device with smart bit recognition collet assembly to set a desired application mode

Abstract

A surgical device of a drill / driver with bit recognition to set a desired application mode and a method of utilization thereof is provided. Various operating modes of the drill / driver are automatically set by a sensor which recognizes the bit applied to the drill / driver. A method of utilizing the drill / driver allows the drill driver to apply surgical screws at very high speeds while automatically preventing excessive torque levels that would strip out the surgical screw from the patient's bone.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 396,803, filed Jun. 3, 2010.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to methods of securing a threaded fastener into a patient's body and to a surgical drill / driver utilized for inserting and torquing a surgical screw into a patient's body.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Surgical screws are utilized for various purposes in surgical operations. Surgical screws are utilized for repairing fractures in bones or for attaching a prosthesis to a bone. Surgical screws are also utilized for plates connected with a patient's body either permanently or temporarily after an operation. When using a surgical drill / driver in an operating environment, it is desirable that the drill / driver torque the screw within the patient's body in the safest, most efficient manner possible.[0004]In many facial or cranial operations, a plate is utilized to stabilize two section...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]To make manifest the above noted and other manifold desires, a revelation of the present invention is brought forth. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a surgical drill / driver wherein various operating modes of the drill / driver are automatically set by a controller that recognizes a bit applied to the drill / driver. Additionally, a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a method of utilizing the above noted drill / driver that allows the drill / driver to apply surgical screws at very high speeds while automatically preventing excessive torque levels that can strip out the surgical screw from the patient's bone matter.

Problems solved by technology

Although hand torquing threaded surgical screws to attach a plate to a patient's bone is efficient, there are certain undesirable conditions that can occur.

Hand torquing a surgical screw can provide a less than optimal result due to the inherent wobble in the rotational axis of a screw driver when the screw driver is turned manually.

Even in the hands of the most skilled surgeon, some wobble typically occurs.

Secondly, strip out of the threads formed in the bone by over torquing the surgical screw is primarily dependent upon the skill of the surgeon.

However, with the mechanized torquing of the surgical screw into the patient's bone, there is a lack of tactile feedback to the surgeon to alert the surgeon that further torquing operation can inadvertently cause a strip out of the threads formed within the bone matter of the patient.

However, increasing the speed on a mechanical drill / driver increases the chances of an inadvertent strip out of the formed threads in the patient's bone matter.

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